


By the Water

by vanillacoconuts



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Mentions of past abuse, Sandor owns a boat, Set in Australia!, fluffy in some spots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-21
Updated: 2015-11-01
Packaged: 2018-04-16 09:04:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4619526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanillacoconuts/pseuds/vanillacoconuts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sansa wonders who he is. Who this mysterious man is that spends his time out at sea, sailing through the rocky waves of the water. She met him when she moved to the town of South West Rock to start a new life for herself. It came as a surprise to her when she realised how intrigued she was by this stranger. </p><p>Sandor wants to leave, to sail away from here with nothing but himself and his boat as he explores the world. But how can he leave her? This red haired beauty came out of nowhere but the idea of leaving her behind just feels so wrong.</p><p>*</p><p>Sansa and her sister, Ayra, leave the city to live with their bother Robb and cousin Jon. They move to a small ocean side town on the coast of Australia where Sansa can have a fresh start to life. She meets and befriends many new people in town, but one man in particular intrigues her the most...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sansa.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jillypups](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jillypups/gifts), [bex_xo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bex_xo/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Music inspiration for this chapter is 'Electric Indigo' by The Paper Kites.

[Inspiration Picset!](http://vanillacoconuts.tumblr.com/post/127053752963/by-the-water-by-vanillacoconuts) 

[Chapter One Picset! :) ](http://vanillacoconuts.tumblr.com/post/127194595843/by-the-water-chapter-one-winding-down-the)

 

 

Winding down the window of her car as she steers around the twists and bends in the road, Sansa can already smell the saltiness in the air from the ocean she can’t even see yet, not past all these trees and hills surrounding the road. Sansa can tell they are close to their destination; the air here feels and smells fresher than what it is like in the city. She has never been to the sea before; they lived so far inland that the closest beach was roughly six hours away. This is why she is ecstatic about finally making the trip, and not just for a visit, but to live here by the water, to be able to walk along the sandy shores as the water laps at the bank, to witness first hand as waves bring in in little shells that scatter the ground, some of them empty, others as tiny homes for the hermit crabs to crawl around in. She’s only ever heard tales or seen pictures of the beauty, sent from her brother Robb and cousin Jon, who already live down here on the eastern coast of Australia, and can’t wait to truly experience it for herself.

 

Now it’s her turn to move away from home, along with her sister, Arya, who sits beside her with her feet up on the dash as she bobs her head up and down to the music playing from the radio. At first Sansa wanted nothing to do with leaving the home she grew up in. She loved her life in Shepparton, had the wonderful friends and a boyfriend, was doing great in her classes, but after things ended horribly with Harry she was very much looking forward to finishing her degree and leaving it all behind. The only people she will miss will be her parents, Ned and Cat, and two younger brothers, Bran and Rickon, who will all move here once the boys finish high school. Arya, on the other hand, wanted to move ever since Robb left, but their mother and father had said not until after she also finished school. And here Arya and Sansa are now, on their way to start a new and exciting chapter in their lives in a small town by the sea, _South West Rock_.

 

Coming up over the final hill of their journey, the town they will now come to call home appears into view.Sansa takes one look at it and immediately feels like she belongs here. _It’s beautiful!_ The sunlight shining off the clear blue water makes her want to go for a swim right this second, to feel the coolness of the water on her skin. Further out the ocean gets darker and deeper, and boats bob here and there in the water. Out in the sea is also the giant rock that gives the town its name. She has heard stories from Robb and Jon of people climbing to the top so they can jump down into the water. She thinks it sounds a bit scary, but she knows she wants to give it a go. Further out in the distance from the rock she can see the series small islands that surround South West Rock. Trying to focus on driving so they don’t crash is difficult because all Sansa wants to do is look and explore. When they are settled into their new home she knows exactly what she will be doing first thing. But for now in the car, she sneaks little glances from the road to the place they’ll soon call home. Surrounding the edge of town are large hills covered by grass and trees and bush, making South West Rock seem like a secluded little place hidden away from the rest of the world. She can see the long stretch of sandy beach, the many trees that seem to be everywhere but are also interspersed by houses all around. _So different from the city,_ she thinks as she remembers what it was like to be surrounded by nothing but tall buildings and concrete roads, with only a few small trees planted along the sidewalks. She never knew what she was missing. The beauty of this country town is undeniable, making her old city seem like nothing, and the love she once felt for it rapidly decreasing.

 

Arya points out to her what might be the seaside pub Robb can’t stop talking about, and they decide that maybe they can go there tomorrow for lunch and to meet some of the townspeople. The main bit that stands out to her though is the docks, where all types of boats are tied side by side to the railings of the jetty. She’s never seen so many boats before. Sansa loves everything she can see, and it is already beginning to feel like home to her.  She hopes that in this new home she will be able to fit in, to find some new friends, _True friends,_ she thinks as she stops herself from reliving what happed with her so called ‘friends’ back in the city. Sansa hopes that she may even be able to find love again, real love this time with someone who respects her and she can trust, someone _honest_.

 

As they round the last few corners to the house they will be living in, Sansa takes in how safe this place feels. Hardly anyone has a fence at the front of their house, as if everyone trusts one another, and again she cannot get over how much of a change it is from where she grew up. It is a wide street with homes spaced out making the whole area feel that much bigger, and there is so much green and brown from all the nature surrounding the place.

 

When they finally make it Jon’s – _Our –_ house, Robb, who lives with his fiancée Jeyne, is standing on the front porch with Jon. It has been a few years since she has seen them both and she almost jumps into their arms after she gets out of the car to say hello.

 

“Welcome to your new home, little sisters,” Robb tells them as he lifts first Sansa and then Arya off the ground in identical warm hugs, “let’s get you unpacked and settled in so we can catch up on these lost years between us.”

 

“I know we have said this a lot already, but thanks again for letting us live here with you Jon,” Arya says as she gets her bag from the car.

 

“It’s honestly no trouble, and I’m glad I can put those two rooms to use now. Plus it will be nice having roommates. I mean having Robb here is great, but having someone actually _live_ here with me again will be good.” Jon’s parents, Lyanna and Rhaegar, had passed away in a tragic car accident some years ago, which is why Robb moved down to be with their cousin so he wasn’t alone.

 

Sansa turns to have a proper look at the house. It is a pale yellow two story beach house, with a front porch where she thinks she might sit with a cup of tea in the morning sunlight. Following the men up the steps leading to the front door, Sansa pauses a moment with her eyes closed. She can’t hear anything besides the sounds of shoes softly hitting the ground, the distant sound of wind blowing through the trees and the singing of the birds. It is something she has never had the pleasure of experiencing in the city, being as loud as it is. When the door opens she takes in the view of the kitchen and dining room to the left, the lounge room to the right and further beyond that the bathroom. Between the two rooms is a staircase that she finds leads up to the three rooms and another two bathrooms, one for her and Arya and the other connecting to Jon’s room.

 

With all four of them bringing in Sansa and Arya’s belongings it takes no time at all before they are all sitting around the table for a dinner of take away fish and chips. Being here with her brother and cousin makes her realise how much she has missed them being part of her life and she looks forward to the time they are going to spend with each other here.

 

They spend the evening talking about the town and the people who live there. They learn from the men that their neighbours to the left are a friendly couple, Jaime and Brienne, and their neighbour to the right is an elderly woman, Olenna Tyrell.

 

“Olenna is the Margaery’s grandmother. Margie’s the one who owns the local pub down by the docks,” Robb says while shovelling food into his mouth, “her husband Bronn mainly hangs out at the docks with his buddy Sandor. They own two of the many boats that are down there and they work together fixing them up for the locals. And then there is Val who works at Margie’s pub. Jon’s got a thing for her and -”

 

“I do not! Don’t listen to him, he’s full of lies,” Jon’s reply comes out quite weak and Sansa thinks that he may very well have feelings for this woman.

 

Robb elbows Jon in the side while laughing, “You can’t deny it, man. Your cheeks are going pink.” It’s true, there is now a pink tinge to Jon’s face and it makes them all laugh even more. He doesn’t try to deny it again.

 

Her brother and cousin continue telling them about the town and the people they know, although after hearing so many names it becomes difficult for the girls to remember them all, and after a long day of driving and moving into a new place it makes it even harder. They talk well into the night, having too much fun catching up to go to bed. Their parents and younger brothers become the topic for a while, with Jon and Robb asking how everyone is doing, saying how much they miss them and cannot wait until they move, which will still be another three years with Rickon being only fifteen. They all know that they could easily move now but their dad has just joined his company with another one and wants to stay for at least a few years before he leaves, which is why they are waiting for Bran and Rickon to complete school, as it gives him time to organise important business with his work.

 

“Speaking of work, Jeyne wants to offer you two a job at her store. It’s just a small shop, like a mini supermarket, with all the essentials everyone needs. She’d like the extra help as it gets quite busy sometimes. We can go down there tomorrow and you two can meet her if you like. Check out the store too.”

 

The girls accept Robb’s offer, trying not to yawn in the middle of speaking, but it’s very late, so they say their goodnights and head off to bed. Sansa’s room is on the top floor at the back of the house, and she has a view of the back yard through her window and a large forest beyond it. Further out are the pretty hills that surround South West Rock. She thinks she’d like to go hiking there one day soon, never having the chance to explore a forest while in the city. After changing into her pyjamas she slides into bed, easily drifting off to sleep after a long day, with thoughts in her mind of sailing boats along the jetty, all floating on the water, ready to be taken out to sea.  

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Jil and Bex for all their advice and beta'ing this story! Wonderful ladies!
> 
> By the way, the town I described is not exactly how it looks in real life. What I have written is a mixture between South West Rock and Apollo Bay, I just like the name South West Rock more than the other. Also Shepparton looks nothing like I described. I just couldn't find a city in Australia that did, so I chose a random city name.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all liked this first chapter of my new story, I'm so excited to write it! Tell me what you thiiiiink! :)
> 
> You can find me on tumblr at vanillacoconuts.tumblr.com :)


	2. Sandor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Music inspiration for this chapter is 'Weathered' by Jack Garratt.

[ Chapter Two Picset! ](http://vanillacoconuts.tumblr.com/post/127604315628/by-the-water-chapter-two)

 

 

“Ah, fuck!”

 

Sandor quickly jumps out of the way as the end of a broken rope comes flying towards him where he stands near the mast of his ketch sailboat. Turning towards Bronn, he asks, “Where the bloody hell did you get this shitty rope from, man?”

 

Looking up from his place by the rails, Bronn says, “No idea. Found it in my shed. Don’t even how long its been there.” Picking up a new bundle of rope, he tosses it to Sandor. “Here. Use this, ya grumpy old man.”

 

Sandor catches the rope and snorts at Bronn. “If I’m old then what are you? Ancient! Bloody Grandpa!”

 

Bronn laughs at that, and Sandor can’t help but let out a small chuckle too. He and Bronn grew up together in South West Rock, have been friends since they were just kids. Sandor was only eight when he met twelve year old Bronn exploring the docks, admiring all the watercrafts. When Bronn showed an interest in the boats too, Sandor immediately liked him. That and the fact that Bronn never judged him about his burn scars he received a year before.

 

They spent most of their time walking along the jetty, talking about which type of boat they would get when they were old enough. Bronn got his first, which made Sandor immensely jealous, but together they restored the second hand sailing yacht to its former glory. A few years later, they again worked on the vessel Sandor bought for himself. In their early twenties they started a business where they would fix up the locals boats, and they have been doing it ever since, never getting tired of it.

 

Sandor spends most of his time out on the water, has always preferred it to being on land surrounded by people. The longest he has spent out at sea was only a few months, but one day he plans to travel around the world, with nothing but himself and his ketch, and he doesn’t intend to return for years. He wants to leave by the end of the year, he has already started his planning of it. He’ll miss South West Rock, but his true home will always be the ocean.

 

Bronn’s voice pulls him out of his thoughts as he talks about the dinner he was dragged to last week with his wife, “Renly tells me that Robb’s sisters are coming to town, going to be living with their cousin Jon”. Sandor answers Bronn with a look that asks _Do I look like I give a shit?_ Bronn huffs at his expression, “Hey, I just thought you’d want to know because it’s not every day we get new people living here down at The Rock. I mean, we get plenty of tourists, but they all just pass through.”

 

Sandor doesn’t mind Robb and Jon; they are both nice enough blokes. Jon has grown up knowing Sandor, used to be afraid of him when he was younger, but when he realised Sandor was harmless to him, he let go of his fears and now every so often they enjoy a beer together with Robb at the pub. “That may be true, but honestly why would I care about new people in town when I’m going to be out of here by the time the year is done? There’s no fuckin’ point in me getting to know them.” _Besides, not many people want anything to do with me once they see my face._ Sandor thinks bitterly. 

 

Bronn’s reply does not come in word, but rather a sad glance to him and then back at his work. Sandor knows what he is thinking. They consider themselves brothers and the thought of Sandor going away soon saddens Bronn. As much as Sandor will miss him, he knows that he has to do this, has dreamed of it for years.

 

“I’ll be back one day, you know that. I can’t bloody promise when, but I’ll see you again brother.”

 

“I know, man. I know.”

 

They are just tying down the sail again when old Barristan, who resides in the sloop sailboat next to Sandor, climbs out of his cabin and onto the deck to talk to them, “I’m heading over to the pub now if you boys want to join me for a drink?”

 

“Yeah sure, Selmy, we’ll be there in about 10 minutes or so,” Bronn replies with a wave of his hand towards the rope he is in the middle of tying up. Barristan nods and walks down the jetty towards the shore. It’s his sixtieth birthday today and the town is celebrating it with him. He has lived here his whole life, knows everyone in town, and everyone loves him. He has been like a father to Sandor after his own died, taking him under his care in his teen years, teaching him and Bronn nearly everything they know about sailing vessels. When Sandor leaves he knows he will be one of the people he will miss the most.

 

When they arrive at the pub it seems like the whole town is there. He heads for the bar where Margie, Val and Gendry all work serving drinks to everyone. As he passes Jaime and Brienne, who are sitting together on the other side, with their arms around each other, Bronn pats Jaime on the back and says, “Congratulations on the marriage! Haven’t seen you two since the wedding night.” He ends with a wink that earns him an elbow in the side from Brienne.

Jaime is another one of the towns people Sandor would consider a friend. They have always known each other, being the same age in such a small town, but it was only a few years ago that they became closer, when Sandor fixed up his and Brienne’s yacht, since he could no longer do it himself after an accident that resulted in the loss of one of his hands.

Sandor spends the night at the bar having drink after drink and engaging in the odd conversation here and there. He is not usually the social type of man, preferring the solitude of his boat, but with a few drinks in him he doesn’t mind being surrounded by people, especially if they are people he knows. When it hits 12:30am, Robb and Jon walk through the door of the pub. Making their way through the crowd, they come up to a drunk Barristan, who is sitting with Sandor.

 

“Happy birthday Selmy. We’re sorry about being so late, it’s just my cousins, Robb’s sisters, arrived this afternoon. We’ve left them sleeping at home so we could make it here for you.”

 

“It’s alright boys, I’m glad you could make it and I look forward to meeting more Starks!”

 

Sandor is already getting sick of hearing about the new Stark sisters. They have been the talk of the town apparently. Everyone keeps bringing them up and frankly he is getting quite annoyed. He understands why they are getting so much attention; Bronn was right about South West Rock not getting many new residents. The last person to move here was that little shit Joffrey Baratheon. Sandor took one look at the arrogant kid and instantly decided he didn’t like him. It was the way he carried himself like he bloody owned the place, as if he was the most important man around, when he was really just a spoiled little boy.

 

As the night wears on, the pub patrons get more and more drunk, including Sandor. At one point Renly and Barristan end up in the middle of the room slow dancing and singing along to the music. Everyone cheers them on, and Sandor sees Loras off to the side filming the spectacle on his phone, and he knows Loras is never going to let Renly live this one down.

 

When Sandor’s head starts to spin from the amount of alcohol he has consumed, he decides to call it a night. After once again wishing Barristan a happy birthday and saying goodnight, he stumbles through the door of the pub and out into the night. Autumn has only just started this month, so the air around him as he walks back to his ketch is still on the warm side. With the air blowing past him, he breathes it in, letting the freshness of it help his head feel less heavy. As he walks down to the end of the jetty, after almost tripping on coils of rope placed near each boat, he sees his own in the distance, floating in the moonlit water. He stops and stares at it as it sways in the waves. Sandor does own a house, it was left for him after his parents passed away when he was young. He has been planning on selling it for years now, but something has always stopped him. Despite all the offers he has gotten for it, he could never bring himself to sign the papers.

 

He thinks of a little girl with raven hair flowing down her back, smiling at him as he chased her around their back yard, while their mother laughed and encouraged the girl to run faster. He really doesn’t want to think about them, but in his drunken state he can’t stop the memories from flowing through and flooding his mind. He remembers days of happiness in his life, when life seemed as if nothing could harm him. But he was wrong and naïve about that. His dreams ripped out from underneath him all in one afternoon. Now _that_ is something that Sandor refuses to think about, and no amount of alcohol can make him.

 

He realises now why he hasn’t been able to sell his house. Despite the bad memories he has of the place, he also has good ones and he feels as though if he sells the house then he will forget the last people who he truly loved. He doesn’t want that. Doesn’t want to forget his family.

 

Climbing down on to the deck, he tries his hardest to push away his thoughts. He opens the door to his cabin and heads for the bed. It’s quite a large sailboat, big enough that even Sandor, with his height and bulk, can stand up straight. Ripping off his shirt and jeans, Sandor falls down into bed in his boxer briefs and almost as soon as his head hits his pillow he is asleep, but not before his mind is filled with images of the little girl screaming for her older brother’s help and Sandor being too late to help her from the flames.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A couple of things you may want to know... 
> 
> I talked about Autumn it being months away from the end of the year, so in other words it's still near the start of the year here. In Australia the season are Autumn (March, April and May), Winter (June, July and August), Spring (September, October and November) and Summer (December, January and February). 
> 
> Also, in case you missed it...'Ketch is the type of sail boat Sandor has, so if you were like ‘What the hell is a ketch? Now you know. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and I hope you liked it!!


	3. Sansa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Music inspiration for this chapter is 'Keep That Letter Safe' by Highasakite. 
> 
> ...I will get around to adding a picset for this chapter soon-ish...

[Picset!](http://vanillacoconuts.tumblr.com/post/132309216433/by-the-water-chapter-three-his-long-black) 

 

Sansa wakes to the golden light of the sun as it shines through her window to where she lies on her bed. It is unfamiliar to her, this new room of hers, and it takes her a moment to remember where she is. Looking to her right where the window is she sees the sun high in the sky and realises she must have slept in late, which doesn’t surprise her given the big day she had yesterday. She hopes today that she might actually meet some of the townspeople.

 

After eating breakfast and changing into a blue patterned dress she decides she wants to take a walk down to the water. Arya, Jon and Robb all agree to come with her. On their way to the front door Sansa sees two people making their way up the walkway to the porch. She notices the man first, because how could she not? _He’s gorgeous!_ With his dusty blonde hair and handsome face. His arm is linked with what has to be the tallest women she’s ever seen. Her hair is even lighter and shorter than the man she is with. While they look like an odd couple from the outside, Sansa can tell they are happy from the way they look at each other and the way their hands are keeping running down each other’s arms. Sansa feels a tightening in her belly and she recognises it as jealousy. Jealousy that she never got to experience such a love with Harry and suddenly she is even gladder she is no longer with him. She wants what the blonde couple has.

 

“Sansa, Arya, come meet Jaime and Brienne,” Jon says as he says good morning and waves them over. “These are the neighbours we were telling you about last night.”

 

“It’s nice to meet you,” Jaime says. He raises his arm and just as Sansa is about to reciprocate she gasps, taking in the sight of his missing hand. Jaime lets out a chuckle which turns into a grunt of pain as Brienne elbows him in the side.

 

“Sorry about him, he does that to everyone he meets ever since he lost his hand. I keep telling him it’s mean, but he won’t listen.”

 

“Hey, you try losing a hand! I’m allowed to make jokes about it.”

 

The six of them stand and chat for a few more minutes as they get to know one another. Sansa learns that their newlywed neighbours have been married just a couple of weeks and that Jaime lost his hand years ago when trying to fix a propeller on his boat.

 

“The damn propeller had carked itself and my mate Sandor and I were trying to get it started when suddenly, out of nowhere it turned on again. My hand was right next to it and, well, needless to say, I lost it that day.” Jaime says, going on to explain how after that he could no longer be a big help on fixing up his boat and how Sandor did it for him. This is the second time in less than twenty four hours that Sansa has heard about this man, Sandor, and now she is curious to meet him.

 

After saying goodbye to Jaime and Brienne, Sansa and her family walk down to the beach. The walk there is lovely. With the trees blowing in the wind and the scent of fresh air around her, Sansa feels she can breathe properly for the first time. She never realised how much the city reeks of fuel and fumes. Here though, with all the trees and the sea, the air is _clean._ When they make it past the tree line she can see the ocean and she feels like running to it. Up close she can see how beautiful it really is. All the pictures she has seen of the place do not do it justice. _Being here is so much better than just seeing it._ She can hear the sound of the waves crashing to the shore and the birds flying up above her; she feels as though she could stand here forever just watching and taking it all in. The boats along the jetty to her left make it that much closer to picture perfect, here.

 

Jon and Robb take them to the local pub after they have spent some time wandering up and down the sandy beach, with Sansa feeling the sand between her toes and imagining herself diving into the ocean.  When they enter the building Sansa first notices the bar is in the middle, allowing people to be served from all sides. Along the walls of the pub are tables and booths, and they take up a table near a window that is closest to the water.

 

“What can I get you all?” Sansa hears someone say. She looks away from the gorgeous view beyond their window to where the voice came from and sees a pretty blonde woman with wavy hair. By the way Jon is looking at her, with his cheeks turning a light shade of pink, Sansa can guess this woman must be Val. They order something to drink and eat, and all the while Jon and Val keep exchanging looks and little smiles. Sansa thinks it’s cute, which she tells Jon after Val leaves. It earns her a mumbled _shut up_ from Jon which in turn sends the rest of them into a fit of giggles, and even Jon lets out a chuckle of his own.

 

Sansa’s laughter is cut short when she takes notice of what is outside on the beach. A shirtless man is walking in the splashing waves with his feet in the water, making his way down the beach. Even from so far away Sansa can tell he is tall and very strong, she can see the muscles on his body from where she sits. His long black hair falls wet over his face, obscuring her view of his features. The water on his body glistens in the sunlight, making it that much harder for Sansa to look away.

 

Sansa sits there with her chin resting on her hand as she wonders why she is so intrigued by seeing this stranger, it’s not like she hasn’t seen a shirtless man before. She thinks maybe it’s the way he carries himself, or the way he looks out in to the distance as if he’s lost something, or maybe like he’s the one who is lost here and needs to be out at sea. There are many boats in this small town, so she wouldn’t be surprised if he is the owner of one of them.

 

Eventually the man walks off out of Sansa’s view and all she can do is eat her lunch and try to get him off her mind. She enjoys the next few hours at the pub, with her family as they meet more people from South West Rock, or as she has heard people call it, The Rock. The owner of the pub comes to introduce herself and she and Sansa spend some time getting to know one another.

 

The woman, Margie, tells Sansa how she became the owner of the pub, “You see, my Grandma, who actually lives next door to you so I’m sure you’ll meet her soon, she and her husband owned this place, but after my Grandad passed away she couldn’t do it anymore, not on her own. At first this place was meant to go to my older brother Loras, but he and his boyfriend run the local fire station so he said I could have it. He’s always known I have wanted this place, so I think that helped him make up his mind about not taking it.”

 

“That was really nice of your brother. What about your husband? Robb tells me he fixes boats for a living.”

 

“Yeah, that’s right. He and Sandor have been doing it for a long time. If anyone ever has a problem, we send them over to the docks to find the boys. They know everything about them, pretty much built their own from scratch.”

 

“I’ve already heard so much about this Sandor guy, I think I’d like to meet him.”

 

“Oh you will, he’s often here. He’s a bit rough around the edges, but he’s actually a really nice guy if you give him a chance.”

 

“I’ll give him chance, don’t worry.”

 

Margie and Sansa continue talking for a little while longer until Margie has to get back to working. Her siblings and cousin are off talking to other people around the pub, Robb and Jon talking to an older, white haired man who looks like he might be suffering a hangover. She knows they came here last for a party night after her and Arya went to bed, so she assumes this man was here as well. Sansa sees Arya sitting at the bar talking with one of the bartenders. He looks to be Sansa’s age, with dark hair sticking in all different directions, his blue eyes focusing on Arya as she cracks a joke that makes them both laugh.

 

There is a small bit of jealously that finds its way into the pit of Sansa’s stomach. She knows she shouldn’t be jealous, but it seems her sister has already found herself someone to flirt with, and everywhere she looks she sees couples; Robb and Jeyne, Jaime and Brienne, Margie and Bronn, and no doubt soon to be Jon and Val and maybe even Arya and this bartender.

 

Soon a little bit of anger joins in the jealousy. Anger at Harry, anger at all the people the hurt her back in the city. But mainly anger at herself for being so affected by what happened. All she wants to do is move on and forget what Harry did to her. All she wants is to find someone who actually cares about her. Sansa is seconds away from getting up from where she sits at the table, ready to leave and walk back home, hoping the fresh air and nice views will calm her down, when she spies someone walking towards her. She didn’t even notice him come in, but now as he walks to her table, with his neat clothing, handsome smile and perfect hair, she can’t _not_ notice him.

 

When he reaches Sansa he offers his hand and smiles. She takes his hand as he introduces himself.

 

“Hey, I’m Joffrey.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eww, Joffrey! Ugh! Bugger off! 
> 
> SO SORRY about the long wait for this chapter! I became very busy with Uni work as it is nearing the end of semester for the year. I've still got an exam to do but I wanted to post this chapter now. I didn't know it would take me so long even though I write short chapters, I had planned to update like once a week, but nope, my life threw that plan out the window. I don't know when the next update will be...HOPEFULLY within the next month, but whatever happens I PROMISE I WILL FINISH THIS STORY!
> 
> With that said... I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And stick with me...Sansa and Sandor will meet soon!


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